Hacking Hekla 2020: the first rural hackathon in Iceland

Hacking_Hekla is the very first hackathon in the Icelandic countryside. It is a marathon to “hack” the challenges of rurality. Lately, the hackathon scene in Reykjavík has expanded immensely. So far no hackathon has ever been held in the Icelandic countryside with a focus on the challenges of rural communities.

Hacking Hekla will take place at Midgard Basecamp in Hvolsvöllur. Participants are welcome to arrive in the afternoon of 2nd April to enjoy the key speakers and excursions. The Hacking itself will take place on the 4th of April where the inventors start early in the morning and stay up all night to hack, invent, create and of course, have loads of fun!

Participants will be supplied with inspiring working environment, workshops and guidance with our engineer experts, innovative entrepreneurs as key-note speakers and an overall fun-filled weekend. So far confirmed mentors and keynote speakers are:

Haukur Viðar Jónsson, Smart Guide, Entrepreneur

Gunnar Ólafsson, Djúpid.net, Entrepreneur

Bala Kamallakharan, Startup Iceland

Árndís Sigurðardóttir, Hótel Fljótshlíð

Arnar Sigurdsson, Blue Bank, Entrepreneur

Jóhannes Geir þorsteinsson, Kollafoss Game Farm

Hacking_Hekla’s mission is to develop individually appointed digital solutions for existing problems in the rural areas of South Iceland.How can we strengthen regional food production?How can we raise awareness for the fragile Icelandic nature?How can we boost tourism in the way that it serves both foreign and domestic visitors?While the Smart City concept is turning into a mega trend in the current political discourse, the smart village/smart community concept is lagging behind. With #Hacking_Hekla we want to develop digital solutions to improve regional management issues and sustainable touristic approaches.

The event shall be used to promote the Icelandic countryside as an innovative and creative location for entrepreneurs to work in what many find remote areas and without distraction on their projects. Intended results of the hackathon are development of solutions for existing problems or challenges the people in rural communities face in their businesses or daily life. As it manifests by now, one of the reasons for lack of entrepreneurial scenes in the Icelandic countryside is that the skilled and creative people in the countryside do not perceive themselves as entrepreneurs by definition. Furthermore, an event like this invites locals to explore their creativity and apply their immense knowledge in a playful surrounding. The hackathon could be a tool to make the rural entrepreneurs realize what they are actually capable of.

Hacking Hekla is an event for creative minds who have innovative digital solutions in dealing with challenges of rurality. We urge students, PhDs, experts, professors, scientists, academics, startups and innovators to participate.

Do you have an innovative idea to “smarten up” the Icelandic countryside?Then join us by signing up for #Hacking_Hekla and be part of an innovative pilot project in the rural of South Iceland.Check out our website. www.sass.is/hackathon And sign up today.Find us also on facebook! https://www.facebook.com/HackingHekla/